Fire escape



March 25 1,924;

W. R. TOWSE FIRE ESCAPE Filed Nov. 21, 1925 Patented Ma s, 1924.

WILLIAM B. TOWSE, 0F COLUMBUS, OHIO.

FIRE ESCAPE.

Application filed November 21, 1923.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM R. Towsn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Columbus, in the county of Franklin and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fire Escapes, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention is directed to improvements in fire escapes.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a device of this character so constructed that a person can leave a window or doorway of a burning building and grasp the fire escape and with comparative ease reach the ground in safety.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of this kind so constructed that a person can grasp the fire escape and upon suspending himself thereon by the hands lower himself to the ground in a leisurely and safe manner.

With these and other objects in view, as will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists in the novel features of construction, combinations of elements and arrangements of parts, and hereinafter to be fully described and pointed out in the appended claims. I

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is a side view of the device,

Figure 2 is a detail sectional view of the upper end of the device,

Figure 3 is a similar view of the lower end of the device, and

Figure 4 is a sectional view on the line H of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawing 1 designates a building having carried thereby a beam 2 in which is secured an eye bolt 3 which has connected thereto a chain section 4 and to which is connected the U-shaped clevis 5. The clevis has an opening 6 formed in its bight portion and in which is swivelly connected the upper end of the spiral tube 7. The upper end of the tube is provided with diametrically opposed slots 8 in which are secured the separated strands 9 of the cable 10, there being jamb nuts 11 for securing the strands.

A coil spring 12 encircles the upper end of the tube and has its upper end engaged with the washer 1'3 and its lower end resting upon the bight portion of the clevis.

Serial No. 676,142.

A tubular socket member 14: is placed upon the ground and suitably anchored immediately under the clevis 5, there being a coil spring 15 in the socket member upon which is mounted a cap 16 and upon which the lower end of the tube 7 rests, said spring serving in conjunction with the spring 12 to yieldably support the tube.

The cable 10 extends the entire length of the tube and is secured to the lower end thereof by the nuts 17 and in the same manner as the upper end is secured to the upper end of said tube. should the tube break the cable will serve to support the user.

Since the tube is spiral it will be apparent that a person can conveniently grasp the tube and owing to. th presence of the spirals can conveniently let himself down' to the ground, and owing to the fact that the tube is capable of rotating due to the swivel connection with the clevis, the person using the device will not be swung in a circle as the descent progresses.

lVhat is claimed is:

1. A fire escape comprising a spiral member, and means for swivelly and yieldably 3 connecting th upper and lower ends of said member in vertical positions.

2. A fire escape comprising a spiral tube, and means for swivelly connecting the upper and lower ends of said tube in a vertical positlon.

3. A fire escape comprising a spiral tube, a clevis, and means for securing the clevis to a building, the upper end of said tube be ing swivelly and yieldably connected with the clevis and means for yieldably and swivelly connecting the lower end of the tube with the ground.

1. A fire escape comprising a spiral tube, a cable extending the entire length within the tube and having its ends affixed to the respective ends of the tube, a clevis, means for supporting the clevis on a building, the upper end of said tube being yieldably and rotatably engaged with the clevis, and a socket member anchored to the ground in direct alignment with the clevis, the lower end of said tube being yieldably engaged in said socket.

In testimony whereof I afix my signature.

WILLIAM R. TOWSE.

It will be obvious that 

